An Autumn Visit
by Edely
Summary: Sometime in the '19 years later' a much calmer and wiser Harry Potter comes to visit an old acquaintance. The alternate title was 'Coming to terms', if that gives you any idea. Rating: T


**An Autumn Visit**

Hello, Professor. Funny, how I keep calling you that after all these years of denying your authority as such. Funny – what an odd word to describe that tangle we landed ourselves in, isn't it, Professor? Well, the knot was cut quite efficiently after all.

I wish there was another way. I wish there was another way for many things – for your parents, for both of mine, for you, and for me. I wish there was another way for you to redeem yourself rather than a needless death when we all were so close to victory. I wish you were here to listen to me instead of that cold tombstone. I wish …

Oh, but I know you'd just sneer at me, or, even better, snarl "I do not want any redemption, Potter!"

Or – "Stop meddling in affairs that aren't yours!"

Or, short and sweet, - "OUT, Potter!!"

It all makes me smile now, through the tears. You'd have had a field day if you saw me crying when we were both still at Hogwarts, wouldn't you?

Have no fear, I'm not deluding myself into a hope that your snide remarks were actually a twisted way of showing affection. Of course not, how could they be, when I was the spitting image of my Dad, when you wanted me to remind you of Mum. Well, certainly, I do have Mum's eyes, but that wasn't enough to make you be civil to me, was it? And yet, the likeness was enough to make you hold your promise. That promise, Professor, is what kept me alive all these years, what got me through so many twists and turns, and helped me wiggle out of tight spots. That and a bucket of Felix Felicis, I guess. Between you and Dumbledore, I just couldn't afford to lose. I'm glad we won, in the end.

It's just that I want to share this victory with you, and show you that you didn't die in vain. I want you to see my children – you wouldn't be thrilled with James, I guess, but Lily would be your personal favourite, and you could be little Al's Godfather. You'd love Al, I'm sure. You'd even love James, if you'd have let his personal charm get through. Lily … well, Lily is just precious. You can't_not_ love her.

"Stop bragging about your children, Potter, you'll make me sick to the stomach!"

Of course, Professor. Quitting the bragging now.

---SSS---

Ginny laid a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder. "James started whining about dinner again, and Lily's going to rub her eyes out from sleepiness. We should go home now, it's getting late."

Harry turned. He didn't understand how, after all the years together, her touch made pleasant little shocks carry down his spine, and her voice tasted like apples and cinnamon on his tongue. It seemed, Ginny would always have such an effect on him. He looked into her eyes, it was "her" look, that special look he only had for his wife. Ginny's brown irises reflected the heat he was sending, and it returned tenfold, making her eyes blaze. They'd lock the bedroom door tonight, or James would be scarred for life running in unexpected while they …

Ginny laughed: "Potter, you letch, how can you think of _that_ standing on your Professor's grave?"

Harry made an innocent face.

"No idea what you're talking about. And the grave bit reminds me, I need to bring Al here sometime."

Ginny nodded, and tucked her arm through his elbow. "You should. But it should wait a couple of years. I don't think I'll cope with two toddlers on one cemetery at the same time". Harry kissed the top of her head: "I know you'll handle it. My wife's a Super Mum." Ginny shook her head, laughing: "You and your Mugglespeak, honestly! I feel like I need a dictionary to understand your metaphors..."

"We going home yet?" – that was James jumping down from a particularly hideous shapeless figure that must've been an angel some thousand years ago. "James, stop doing that, or I'll have you pass dessert!" - Ginny chided her eldest son sternly. Incredibly, the threat worked.

"Mommy, Daddy, I want pumpkin pasties and milk!" – Lily pouted sleepily. Harry scooped her into his arms, laughing. "Come here, pumpkin. Daddy's going to carry you home, or you'll just lie down here, sleep on the spot and get a runny nose". Lily pouted some more, her eyes losing its focus steadily – "Don't want runny nose, want pasties!" Harry smiled. "We're going now"

"Finally" – grumbled James, but was silenced by a look from his mother.

The family walked a little bit toward the gate, and Harry turned back. He gave a nod to the figure standing on the tombstone. Maybe it was his imagination, or maybe it was a trick of the light filtering through the autumn leaves, but it seemed to him that the harsh features of the hook-nosed cloak-swathed statue mellowed. The slender, alert animal half-hidden by the folds of material looked at him with large long-lashed eyes. Harry paused for a second, then walked on. It was his idea to make the statue face his parent's grave, even though they were separated by more than just miles.

"I'll see you next year, Professor Snape … Severus."


End file.
